Advice needed - CDX, Treated or What 4 Deck

[eLeShUnut]

99 Nitro 185 FS deck replacement. What is the consensus on replacement wood. Also what thickness is appropriate? I'm thinking 1/2 or 5/8 before glassing.

The current deck is a part of the cap assembly with the wood glassed in from below before assembly. there is no support below the suspended deck presently...I will probably add a support block to prevent the posibility of sagging. I plan to leave an edge of deck (3-4") to overlap with the replacement so I can screw it down and then ssmooth the transition with glass. Has anyone done this?

Bevan

 

[Lightnig]

Re: Advice needed - CDX, Treated or What 4 Deck

Well, I know many people here are fans of CDX, but many use PT ply as well. The thing with PT is that it has to be dried really well prior to using it because of the high moisture content.

Personally, I am going to use exterior AB grade ply (still uses non-water soluable glue, but better quality wood than CDX), because it is what I can get locally. Both Marine grade ply and CDX are special order, CDX is about the same price as I can get for ext AB, and the marine grade ply is bloody near 3 times the price. Up here in Canada, the AB is $49 for a 4x8 of 3/4", the CDX was quoted at $52, and the Marine? $145...

My boat came with 3/4" deck, so that is what I will be putting back in.

 

[tintug]

Re: Advice needed - CDX, Treated or What 4 Deck

Im getting ready to do the deck in my boat and have already done the transom. I used 3/4 exterior ply in the transom and sealed that with the rest of the gluvit I had left over from the hull. The deck I am going to use is going to be 3/4 exterior ply that Im going to use epoxy resin and glass to seal it and then for the top of the deck Im using durabak insted of carpet. Keep reading and asking questions You'll get the help you need.By the way welcome to the site and enjoy your rebuild...

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Advice needed - CDX, Treated or What 4 Deck

exterior AB grade ply, Pressure Treated wood has no business being in a boat. yes you do see green wood in boats, but it is not pressure treated.

 

[Andy in NY]

Re: Advice needed - CDX, Treated or What 4 Deck

Well, I know many people here are fans of CDX, but many use PT ply as well. The thing with PT is that it has to be dried really well prior to using it because of the high moisture content.

Personally, I am going to use exterior AB grade ply (still uses non-water soluable glue, but better quality wood than CDX), because it is what I can get locally. Both Marine grade ply and CDX are special order, CDX is about the same price as I can get for ext AB, and the marine grade ply is bloody near 3 times the price. Up here in Canada, the AB is $49 for a 4x8 of 3/4", the CDX was quoted at $52, and the Marine? $145...

My boat came with 3/4" deck, so that is what I will be putting back in.

i was under the impression that cdx was a lower grade than say abx or acx. the stuff i used was from my local lumber yard, i just told them i wanted exterior grade ply, and the bill said it was cdx. $14 a sheet for 1/2 in...


when it comes to thickness, it depends on what you want. a rock solid deck with NO movement what so ever, but some added weight?? go with 3/4". in the middle would be 5/8... and the lower end would be 1/2" which weights alot less than the 3/4 would....

i chose 1/2 for the weight savings, and my 1/2" dcx deck coated on the bottom with resin and top glassed will outlast my ownership of the boat for sure. it will most likely last waaaay longer than the origional non treated mahogany ply from 1970....

 

[Robj]

Re: Advice needed - CDX, Treated or What 4 Deck

exterior AB grade ply, Pressure Treated wood has no business being in a boat. yes you do see green wood in boats, but it is not pressure treated.

Be careful TD, you may get another pressure treated vs non pressure treated debate going!!

I would replace it with wood of the same thickness as was there originally. Regarding ply, use exterior grade douglas fir.

Have a great day

Rob.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Advice needed - CDX, Treated or What 4 Deck

Hmmmm pressure treated wood is a great idea if you lost your old wood to termites and bugs. I have not seen a boat destroyed by bugs and using PT is not necessary but, it will require special fasteners.

 

[eLeShUnut]

Re: Advice needed - CDX, Treated or What 4 Deck

Pics are coming soon. Couple more Q's

is F-26 adhesive the same thing as the PL adhesive?

I was planning to add additional mat & cloth, after permanantly fastening the new deck to the cap, to fill in the gap to the origional floor level for a smooth surface for the Nautolex. Is there a time limit...or can I add this additional glass anytime later? Using epoxy resin.

Thanx, Bevan

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Advice needed - CDX, Treated or What 4 Deck

I always find it interesting that people say not to use treated wood in a boat. There is treated wood designed and marketed directly to the boat building industry and its considered an up grade, I buy the treated wood I use from my customers (boat builders). Any fasteners in a boat should be SS anyhow

 

[Lightnig]

Re: Advice needed - CDX, Treated or What 4 Deck

i was under the impression that cdx was a lower grade than say abx or acx. the stuff i used was from my local lumber yard, i just told them i wanted exterior grade ply, and the bill said it was cdx. $14 a sheet for 1/2 in...


when it comes to thickness, it depends on what you want. a rock solid deck with NO movement what so ever, but some added weight?? go with 3/4". in the middle would be 5/8... and the lower end would be 1/2" which weights alot less than the 3/4 would....

Yes, ABx is higher grade than CDx. Price here is essentially the same as the yard here stocks ABX but not CDX, so one is special order and hence the price is higher.


I may still go with a 1/2" deck, but because my hull had only a single stringer down the centre, I believe the unsupported span would be to great without addinge a secondary set of stringers. So I am still decided right now.

 

[eLeShUnut]

Re: Advice needed - CDX, Treated or What 4 Deck

Here's a few pics after pulling out the carpet:
http://s289.photobucket.com/albums/ll232/C_Bevan/?albumview=slideshow

You can see howthe deck was glassed into the cap before assembly.

The missing wood was some sort of corrogated ply encased in glass. The regular ply beneath the seat mounts is still strong...but wet. I think the whole thing was actually sealed until the drain hole and ski storage access holes were cut....then the clock started.

You can see how thick the deck glass is. There is still very little give until you get next to the cutouts. That is why I'm planning to use it to mount my new ply.

The crack that started my investigation is at the front of the ski hole, to the left, then it's a separation from the side of the ply beneath the consoles. I'm puzzled why they did it this way. The ply under the consoles is totally solid, even though only the top was glassed. It's not even water stained.

My plan is to cut out a squarish section ofthe deck, leaving 3-4" around the edge. This will allow me to clean out the rest of the rotted corregated ply goo from the edge pocket. Then remove the "thin glass" that was on the original board to the edge. Cut my ply to size to fit beneath the remaining deck lip with 3-4" overhang, then secure it with f-26 and countersunk #8 1.25 screws every 6-8 ". Same thing for the floor of the pass thru...wish I didn't have to as it is very solid as is...I just have not figured a way to get the goo out of that narrow front floor sub-section.

Thanx for looking. Please comment.

 

[eLeShUnut]

Re: Advice needed - CDX, Treated or What 4 Deck

Boats are made using the poly resin. Will the epoxy resin bond with the different material?

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Advice needed - CDX, Treated or What 4 Deck

Epoxy bonds very well to almost any surface, polyester won't bond well to epoxy though. So when you start using epoxy, you can't go back.